Toy building block



Dec( 16, 1924.

F. L. ORDWAY TOY BUILDING BLOCK Original Filed April B, 1922 Patented Een. it,

UNITED Warns FRANK L. ORDWAY, 0F' SALEM, MASSAC SALEM, IMSSACHUSEITS,

HUSE'ITS, ASSIGNOE 'IO PARKER BROS., OF .L CL'LOREJIN QF MAINE.

TOY BUILDING BLOGK.

Application led April 8, 1922, Serial To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK L. RDWAY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Salem, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Toy Building Blocks, of which the following` description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

rIhis invention relates to toy building blocks.

In order that the principle of thel intion may be readily understood, I have disclosed a single embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawing, wherein- Fig. l represents a set of said blocks which are adapted to be nested;

Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the block;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof; and

Fig. 4i is a vertical section thereof.

Building blocks which are adapted to be nested and are therefore of different sizes so that they may be huilt into a pile, as indicated in Fig. l, are well known in the art. They are usually made of pasteboard or like material and are very fragile and quickly broken. Moreover they must be inexpensively made as they sell for a very small amount. It is the object of my invention to provide a block of the character above set forth which shall be of increased strength and yet which can be quickly and inexpensively made.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, a set of blocks is indicated at l in Fig. l, the lowermost block 2 being shown in completed condition with ornamental paper cover. In the remaining figures, I have indicated the process of manufacture. In Fig. 2, I have indicated the top or cover at 3, it being desirably of pasteboard or some like material and at each of its edges I provide one or more securing formations indicated at 4, 4, etc. Desirably the complementary formations are dovetailed tongues and cuts as is clearly evident in the side elevation, Fig. 3. My invention, however, is not limited to a dovetailed cut or tongue, as a straight cut and tongue may be used. In describing the formations as dovetailed cuts and tongues, I mean that desirably the lateral edges of the protruding portions or tongues t are beveled as most No. 550,649. Renewed october 15, 1924.

clearly indicated at ta in Fig. 3, and the upper edges of the sides 5 are correspondingly cut to receive the protruding portions or tongues including the beveled edges da, as clearly indicated in Fig. 3. Desirabiy the depth of the cut in the upper edge of each side is such that the top or cover 3 when in place will rest fiush with the upper edges of the several sides 5 as clearly indicated in Fig. 3. Any suitable number of securing formations 4t may be employed, but desirably I employ tivo at each end of the cover, as indicated in Fig. 2.

Each of the sides is also provided at each of its upstanding edges with one or more securing formations. rIhese formations may be of any suitable character, but desirably they are not dovetailed formations, but are straight tongues and cuts, each side 5 desirably having one straight protruding tongue .f' at one edgel and a straight cut 6 at the opposite edge to receive the corresponding straight protruding tongue of the mating side. By forming the sides 5 with straight and therefore non-locking tongues and straight receiving formations or cuts therefor, I facilitate the assembling of the parts of the block.

In assembling the parts of the block the top or cover 3 be laid fiat upon a table or support and the four sides may then be applied thereto, one at a time, they at the same time, by reason of their straight tongue formation, fitting into each other as clearly indicated in Fig. 3. No other securing means is necessary, but in some cases I may for additional security provide sealing strips composed of paper having some suitable adhesive by which the adjacent edges of the sides are secured to each other. After the sides have been secured to the top or cover 3, some suitably ornamental paper is adhesively secured to all the exposed faces of the block.

My invention is not limited to ablock composed oniy of a top or cover and four sides, since in some cases a bottom may be employed, thus making the box cubical and wholly closed.

While I have represented the cover as having at each edge protruding tongues and each side as having at its upper edge tongue receiving cuts, I desire it to be understood that this construction may be reversed in which case the protruding tongues would appear upon the upper edges of the side and the cuts would appear in the edges of the cover.

Having thus described one illustrative enibodiment of my invention, I desire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, the scope oi' the invention being set forth in the following claims.

Claims:

1. A toy building block having four sides, eachside having at one edge a. protruding straight edged tongue and at the opposite edge a complementary recess and at its upper edge having at least one dovetailed cut for the reception of a correspondingly shaped tongue upon the cover, and a cover having at each edge at least one bevel-edged protruding tongue received in the corresponding cut in the upper edge of the side pertaining thereto.

2. ri toy building block having four sides 5, each side having at one edge a straight edged tongue receiving cut 6 and at the opposite edge a complementary protruding tongue 7, and at the upper edge having one 'or more tongue receiving dovetailed cuts, and a cover 3 having at each edge a protruding tongue or tongues 4 having beveled sides 4a and adapted to be received in the corresponding cut or cuts at the upper edge of the side correspondin thereto.

3. A toy building b ock comprising a plurality of structurally distinct side members positioned with their side edges meeting to form a continuous, enclosing side Wall for the block, interengaging non-locking straight-'edged tongues and recesses at the said meeting edges of the side members, and a cover formed 'of a separate piece having an edge to engage the upper edge of each side member, the edges of said cover and the upper edges of said side members being formed With interlocking projections and cuts constituting means for locking said interengaging side members to the cover.

4, A toy building block having four sides, each side having at one lateral edge a single non-locking tongue and at the opposite side a complementary recess, the upper edge of each side having one or more dovetailed, cover-securing cuts, and a cover having at each edge a tongue or tongues corresponding in number to said dovetailed cuts, the side edges of said tongues being beveled to interlock With the respective dovetailed cuts, thereby to lock the sides to each other and to the cover.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this speciiication.

FRANK L. ORDWAY. 

